Engine valve lifter guide

ABSTRACT

A roller-type valve lifter is mounted in an internal combustion engine to reciprocate a push rod in response to rotation of an engine driven cam shaft. A guide and anti-rotation device for the valve lifter comprises a vertically-disposed leg which seats in a slot formed on the valve lifter and a pair of cylindrically shaped arms, extending horizontally from opposite edges of the leg, which seat in a circumferential groove also formed on the valve lifter. A hook, connected to an upper end of the leg by a reverse bend, seats in a bore formed in the cylinder block.

United States Patent [1 Weber June 3,1975

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 318,518, Dec. 26, 1972.

[75] Inventor:

[52] U.S. Cl. 74/569; 123/9048; 123/905 [51] Int. Cl. F16h 53/06 [58] Field of Search 123/905, 90.48, 90.51,

l23/90.6, 90.18; 74/569, 55; 308/4 R, 4 A, 4 B, 4 C, 3 R; 248/313 2,846,988 8/1958 lskenderian 123/905 3,101,077 8/1963 Engle 123/905 3,108,580 10/1963 Crane 3,128,592 4/1964 Calvert 3,267,919 8/1966 Wortman 74/569 Primary ExaminerManuel A. Antonakas Assistant Examiner-Daniel J. OConner Attorney, Agent, or FirmPhi1lips, Moore, Weissenberger, Lempio & Strabala [57] ABSTRACT A roller-type valve lifter is mounted in an internal combustion engine to reciprocate a.push rod in response to rotation of an engine driven cam shaft. A guide and anti-rotation device for the valve lifter comprises a vertically-disposed leg which seats in a slot formed on the valve lifter and a pair of cylindrically shaped arms, extending horizontally from opposite edges of the leg, which seat in a circumferential groove also formed on the valve lifter. A book, connected to an upper end of the leg by a reverse bend, seats in a bore formed in the cylinder block.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ENGINE VALVE LIFTER GI'IDF. This is a division of Ser. No. 318.518. filed Dec. Io. 1972.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Guide and anti-rotation devices normally prevent roller-type valve lifters from rotating during engine operation to prevent skewing of the roller relative to an engaged lobe of a cam shaft. However, many of these devices ha\e not successfully reduced the high noise levels normally generated by such valve lifters, or have required separate parts for achieving the noisereducing and anti-rotation functions. In addition, many such devices tend to loosen after extended periods of use and inhibit expeditious servicing thereof. Conventional devices of this type are disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 1,422,373: 1.424305; 1,425,766; 1,501,041; 2,] l9,()96', 1846,9824; 3,108,580; 3.180328, 3.267919; and 3.301241.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION preferably connected to an upper end of the first guide portion by reverse bend and is positioned in a bore formed in the engine block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view ofa pair of valve lifters and attendant guides, operatively mounted in an internal combustion engine;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of one of the valve lifters and guides; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view of the guide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a portion of an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block I having a plurality of cylindrical bores 11 formed therein to reciprocally mount valve lifters 12. Each valve lifter has a roller 13 rotatably mounted on a lower, bifurcated end thereof by a shaft 14 secured in place by a retaining pin IS. A cam shaft 16 is rotatably mounted in the engine to have a cam lobe I7 thereof engage each roller to reciprocate the valve lifter and an engaged push rod 18 in a conventional manner.

A spool-like body portion 19 of the valve lifter has a lower annulus 20 and an upper annulus 21 defined therein. The lower annulus communicates lubricating oil from a passage 22, formed in the cylinder block, to the valve lifter during engine operation. An upper land 23 of the body portion is closely fitted within bore II and has a vertically disposed first groove or slot 24 formed thereon in parallelrelationship to the longitudinal axis of the body portion.

A one-piece valve lifter guide or retaining clip 25 is opcratively associated with the valve lifter to prevent skewing of roller 13 relative to its associated cam lobe 17. The guide. initially comprising a flat sheet of spring steel prior to its formation by stamping or the like, comprises a single. vertically disposed first guide portion or leg 26. A pair of areuately shaped second guide portions or arms 27 extend horizontally from opposite edges of a lower end of the attached leg and a third guide portion or hook 28 is connected to an upper end of the leg at a reverse bend 29. The hook and arms are thus positioned on opposite sides of leg 26, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3.

When installed, leg 26 seats in groove 2-1 whereas arms 27 are disposed in annulus or second groove 21 to substantially circumvent body portion 19. Hook 28 is disposed in a bore 30 formed on top of the engine block to prevent rotation of the guide. Reverse bend 29 thus projects upwardly above the block to fully expose it for easy removal for servicing purposes.

Spring-like arms 27 are preferably semi-cylindrical and have a diameter which is slightly larger than the diameter of bore 11, when in their relaxed, FIG. 3 condition, to effect a light" press-fit relationship with the bore when installed therein. The ends of the arms are suitably spaced apart to adapt them for radial insertion into annulus 21 and about body portion 19.

A noise suppressing and damping action is provided during reciprocation of the valve lifter due to the presence of lubricating oil in annulus 21 and the close fit relationship existing between leg 26 and slot 24. The disposition of leg 26 in slot 24 and of leg 28 in bore 30 will function to retain the guide in position during all phases of engine operation and will prevent rotation of the valve lifter relative to the engine block.

What is claimed is:

l. A one-piece guide in combination with a spool member reciprocally mounted in a support member, said spool member having a first vertically disposed groove and a second circumferentially disposed groove formed thereon, said guide comprising a vertically disposed first guide portion disposed in said first groove, a pair of arcuately shaped second guide portions extending horizontally from opposite edges of said first guide portion and disposed in said second groove, and anti-rotation means for preventing rotation of said spool member relative to said support member.

2. The combination of claim I wherein said antirotation means comprises a third guide portion, connected to an upper end of said first guide portion, seated in a bore formed in said support member.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said third guide portion is connected to an upper end of said first guide portion at a reverse bend in said guide to position said second guide portions and said third guide portion on opposite sides of said first guide portion.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said first guide portion constitutes a single leg. said second guide portions constitute a pair of semicylindrically shaped arms having their ends spaced apart and said third guide portion constitutes a hook connected to the upper end of said leg at a reverse bend to position said arms and hook on opposite sides of said leg.

5. A one-piece guide in combination with a spool member reciprocally mounted in a support member. said spool member having a longitudinally disposed first guide means and a circumferentially disposed second guide means thereon, said guide comprising a first guide portion disposed in said first guide means. a pair of arcuately shaped second guide portions extending from said first guide portion and disposed in said second guide means, and anti-rotation means for preventing rotation of said spool member relative to said support member. 

1. A one-piece guide in combination with a spool member reciprocally mounted in a support member, said spool member having a first vertically disposed groove and a second circumferentially disposed groove formed thereon, said guide comprising a vertically disposed first guide portion disposed in said first groove, a pair of arcuately shaped second guide portions extending horizontally from opposite edges of said first guide portion and disposed in said second groove, and anti-rotation means for preventing rotation of said spool member relative to said support member.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said anti-rotation means comprises a third guide portion, connected to an upper end of said first guide portion, seated in a bore formed in said support member.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said third guide portion is connected to an upper end of said first guide portion at a reverse bend in said guide to position said second guide portions and said third guide portion on opposite sides of said first guide portion.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said first guide portion constitutes a single leg, said second guide portions constitute a pair of semicylindrically shaped arms having their ends spaced apart and said third guide portion constitutes a hook connected to the upper end of said leg at a reverse bend to position said arms and hook on opposite sides of said leg.
 5. A one-piece guide in combination with a spool member reciprocally mounted in a support member, said spool member having a longitudinally disposed first guide means and a circumferentially disposed second guide means thereon, said guide comprising a first guide portion disposed in said first guide means, a pair of arcuately shaped second guidE portions extending from said first guide portion and disposed in said second guide means, and anti-rotation means for preventing rotation of said spool member relative to said support member. 